1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf chipping training aid, and more specifically to a grip extension that can be added on to a standard golf club, and where the grip extension can be held between the body and the arm to stabilize the wrists during chipping.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chipping a golf ball is one of the more difficult golf skills to master. Typically a chip shot is a short shot that is commonly played from very close to and around the green, and that is intended to strike the ball so that it travels through the air over a very short distance and rolls the remainder of the way to the hole. Because of the need to control the distance that the ball travels, the swing is different from a conventional golf swing, but not quite the same as the swing for a putt. One of the common problems golfers encounter when chipping is the excess use of the wrists, which can cause poor contact with the ball.
A number of different clubs are commonly used to chip the ball. Perhaps the most common is the pitching wedge, but some golfers also use a sand iron or sand wedge. The use of these clubs can cause some confusion because a pitch is generally a much longer shot than a chip. Wedges are shorter clubs with higher lofts, but some golfers use clubs with lower lofts, such as a 6 or 7 iron for chipping. There are also a number of specialty chipping clubs. A chip shot requires much more finesse than a longer shot because the ball need only go a relatively short distance, and because the golfer wants to precisely control the distance to be able to place the ball as near the hole as possible. Because of the need to control the distance that the ball needs to be hit, it is important that the golfer hit the ball relatively softly. In this the chip is somewhat similar to the putt, where the distance the ball is hit is a product of the speed of the swing. The most common way to do this is through shoulder and arm movement, and not wrist movement.
Limiting the use of the wrist in chipping is difficult because wrist rotation is an integral part of the standard full golf swing. Wrist rotation helps increase the club head speed and increases the distance that the ball can be struck. In some shorter shots wrist motion can increase the spin placed on the ball. However on shorter shots, like a chip, excess wrist movement or wrist rotation can result in a mishit of the ball. If too much wrist is used in a chip and the swing is not executed perfectly, the club head can hit behind the ball, causing a very poor shot because the ground will take momentum off the club head, or hit the ball too high, resulting in a low shot with more speed than the golfer intended, or can slice under the ball, resulting in a pop-up shot with very little distance. In order to avoid this golfers try to use as little wrist motion as possible in a chip.
There are a number of techniques used to try to limit wrist movement during chipping. One common technique is to stand with an open stance, with the body facing slightly toward the target line, and swing the club to the side. This can only be accomplished with limited wrist movement. Another common technique is to have a severe forward press, with the hands ahead of the club head and the club head angled down toward the ground. Both limit wrist movement, but both are difficult to explain and teach. There is a need, therefore, for a training aid that allows a golf instructor to show and explain to a student how to swing the club during a chip shot with little or no wrist rotation or movement.
There are a number of golf training aids that include an elongated section protruding from the club to aid the golfer in alignment or to teach the proper swing path. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,392, to Foresi et al., which discloses an elongated member that is clamped to the side of the club shaft, and which extends upward. The golfer can slide the extended member under the arm pit to stabilize certain aspects of the swing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,408 to Bankhead is drawn to a an elongated shaft that is attached to the club shaft by means of a housing. The elongated shaft extends upward roughly parallel to the club shaft and allows the golfer to place under the arm and to align the grip in relation to the body. U.S. Pat. No. 7,789,765 to Marini discloses a telescoping rod that is mounted to the top end of the golf grip, and provides an alignment tool to allow the golfer to check his practice swing. These training aids can be used to instruct proper swing elements, but are not designed for striking the ball. It is often important to actually strike the ball to learn the proper swing technique. There is a need, therefore, for a training aid that is attached in a way to allow the golfer to strike the ball while using the training aid.
There are a number of golf clubs with extended grips, but most are putters. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,474 to Voyer, which discloses a putter with an elongated shaft. The shaft is a single piece of metal, typically stainless steel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,879 to Collins. The invention is drawn to the putter club head, but the invention discloses a long shaft with two separate grip areas. There are also a few long shaft clubs that are not putters. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,082, which is drawn to a long shaft chipping club, but the main inventive feature is the configuration of the club head. U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,524 to Jenkins is also drawn to a long shaft cupping club, with the main inventive feature the configuration of the club head. U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,018 to Mason is drawn to a club with a slightly longer than normal shaft, with the main inventive feature being a unique club head design. U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,562 to Hedges, which is drawn to a club with a long shaft, but more particularly to a method of hitting a golf ball with a club having a long shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,150 to Dionne is drawn to a method of chipping using a long golf club and a club with a head at an high angle. All of the clubs that are specifically designed for actually striking the ball use an elongated club shaft that is a single piece of club shaft material which is simply longer than a standard club. None discloses an add on for a standard club that is attached with sufficient security to be used during practice to strike the ball, and that can then be removed so that the player can use the club during play. There is a need, therefore, for a club extension that can be added on to a conventional club for practice and training of proper golf technique.